Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in women of childbearing age
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Data
2004-04
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Resumo
Determine the risk factors involved in toxoplasmosis transmission and determine
whether pregnancy is a risk factor for toxoplasmosis infection. Study design: Cross-sectional
study carried out on 2,242 women at childbearing age. An indirect immunofluorescence reaction
was used to identify immunity to Toxoplasma gondii. Previous gestations were also analyzed as
a possible risk factor. The results were analyzed by χ 2 and OR tests, and by variance analysis. The
sample was statistically balanced according to social-economic risk factors. Results: Previously
pregnant women were 1.74 times more frequently infected with toxoplasmosis, regardless of
environmental conditions. Pregnant women living under unfavorable environmental conditions
had an approximately two times increased risk of being infected for each risk factor (contact with
host animals, presence of vehicles of oocyst transmission). Previous pregnancy was the risk
factor that had the strongest influence on acquiring toxoplasmosis (variance analysis and statistical
balancing). Discussion: The prevalence of this zoonosis is high in Goiânia-GO, Brazil (65.8%).
Inadequate environmental sanitation was not significantly correlated with toxoplasmosis infection,
except when associated with previous pregnancy, showing that the fundamental cause for infection
is not environmental. Conclusion: The finding that pregnancy makes women more vulnerable to
this protozoan, makes it important to implement prophylactic control of at-risk pregnant women.
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Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy, Contaminant elements, Risk factor, Means of transmission, Host animals
Citação
AVELINO, Mariza Martins; CAMPOS JÚNIOR, Dioclécio; PARADA, Josetti Barbosa de; CASTRO, Ana Maria de. Risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in women of childbearing age. Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases, Salvador, v. 8, n. 2, p. 164-174, Apr. 2004.